Rifle weight %?

[7.62 Gunner]

The thread about rifle weights made be wonder about rifle weight as a percentage of your body weight. I'm 5' 7" and 160 pounds. O yea, I'm 78 years old. Should I expect to carry the same weight as another guy who 6' and 220 pounds?

First off good for you, at 78 you're the baddest dude on the mountain no matter what's in your hand!
The correlation between size and bulk has nothing to do with muscle endurance and physical conditioning.

I'll put it this way, I've been in one of the toughest military training courses out there, and the big Rambo looking weight room animals totally fell apart in every endurance evolution.
The baddest guys I've seen were between 5'7 and 6'2 with average builds that would never turn a head.

 

[Rick Richard]

To be honest, I could care less about rifle weight as a percentage of your body weight. I am going to carry the rifle I feel most confident that will provide me the best chance of making a humane kill shot. It is up to me to prepare adequately for that maybe once a year or lifetime trip. Anything less is negligence on my part and just downright lazy…off the soapbox now.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Bob Wright,
You mentioned carrying your rifle on your shoulder. I carry my rifle in my left hand if the hill is on my right side. Then in my right hand if the hill is on my left side.

I do use a sling when I'm using the binoculars.

When I was in my fifties I used water in one l or 2 litter bottles for weight in my back at home. Interestingly, I got stronger so I switched to sand in the bottles.

Carrying your rifle. I had figured that out a long time ago that depending on which way I was headed I would change which side I carried the rifle on. Why because you fall toward the upper side of the hill. That way you are not driving the rifle into the ground. If you are falling downhill you are in trouble.
Several years ago, I when to REI and order out a set of pack packing shoulder strapes for a Kilty pack. I told them my dog chew them up. Got them and had the side I general carry my rifle on to sewing shop. Got the quick connect attachment for the sling. That way I could change to different rifles, as needed. Had them sowed in. Still not fun to carry the rifle all day long.

 

[Crockett12]

I've never met an older hunter yet who didn't agree that the older they got -- the lighter their rifles got! I'm sure a lot depends on body shape & body strength, which might be different for different hunters at different ages -- but as we age, we lose body & arm strength! As Bob Wright said "I carry my rifle in my left hand if the hill is on my right side. Then in my right hand if the hill is on my left side" -- I do the same! I also try to never use the sling to carry my rifle! Also -- any time I've fallen while hunting, with the exception of once (which really upset me), my rifle has never hit the ground and I'm 76 years old!

 

[memtb]

Quote from Crockett12: Also -- any time I've fallen while hunting, with the exception of once (which really upset me), my rifle has never hit the ground and I'm 76 years old!

I wish that I could say that.
I very rarely put my rifle on my shoulder, in hand at all times when hunting. If my rifle is on my shoulder…..I'm not hunting! memtb

 

[StanleyActual]

Also -- any time I've fallen while hunting, with the exception of once (which really upset me), my rifle has never hit the ground and I'm 76 years old!

I wish that I could say that.
I very rarely put my rifle on my shoulder, in hand at all times when hunting. If my rifle is on my shoulder…..I'm not hunting! memtb

Happened to me 1x. Had a great zero on my 308. Thing was dialed in. Early in the morning of the hunt I was standing up on a pile of boulders and hit a slick patch. Rifle was in my right hand. Both Feet came up and landed on my Right side. Didn't even have a chance adjust. Immediately checked my optic and had a small scratch on the windage turret. Wasn't sure how much of it I actually got so I just spent the rest of the day deer hunting but had a black bear tag as well. Saw bear sign all day that day. Closer to the evening I was walking down a finger and heard a bunch of brush breaking in the draw down below me. Looked down and there was that black bear making a break for it .Tutned to the right and sat down and drew a bead on him. Beautiful shot. 250 yds, had the reticle right in the middle of his shoulder blades. Had him dead to rights. Squeezed into the trigger and torched one off. Nothing happened. Saw a puff a dirt about 4' to the right. Thought to myself "no way". Squeezed another one off and same thing. 4' to the right…..

And away he went… never will forget that

 

[Mark37082]

I'm about 6' and 170 lbs. At 63 and not in my best physical shape I hunt for the pure enjoyment of being in the outdoors with the bonus of possibly harvesting game. I'm well beyond the days of torturing myself with grueling hunts and enduring significant discomfort. Don't get me wrong. I generally log 5 or so miles on a typical day while deer hunting. Public land hunting requires carrying everything in and out with you each day. A 11 or 12 lb rifle is not going to be part of my kit on these hunts.

 

[crashlanding]

My take on all this, is your all a bunch of old tooters,(no offense) but your absolutely right in saying, "the older you get, the lighter the gun you want to carry "

 

[Ucsdryder]

The thread about rifle weights made be wonder about rifle weight as a percentage of your body weight. I'm 5' 7" and 160 pounds. O yea, I'm 78 years old. Should I expect to carry the same weight as another guy who 6' and 220 pounds?

Great point. Similar to bow weight. Tell someone you shoot 80lbs and they'll tell you all about your future shoulder injuries, but they never ask if you're 30 and can bench press a house, or 65 and on your 4th shoulder surgery.

 

[338 dude]

The thread about rifle weights made be wonder about rifle weight as a percentage of your body weight. I'm 5' 7" and 160 pounds. O yea, I'm 78 years old. Should I expect to carry the same weight as another guy who 6' and 220 pounds?

No

 

[Bob Wright]

Carrying your rifle. I had figured that out a long time ago that depending on which way I was headed I would change which side I carried the rifle on. Why because you fall toward the upper side of the hill. That way you are not driving the rifle into the ground. If you are falling downhill you are in trouble.
Several years ago, I when to REI and order out a set of pack packing shoulder strapes for a Kilty pack. I told them my dog chew them up. Got them and had the side I general carry my rifle on to sewing shop. Got the quick connect attachment for the sling. That way I could change to different rifles, as needed. Had them sowed in. Still not fun to carry the rifle all day long.

Absolutely carry rifle on hill ascents, descent as mentioned. When it's slung on your shoulder just hiking a trail can be where you notice the weight more, the risk of it slipping back or off. It's compounded by a pack and it's straps, glassing, etc.
I'll try packing it in the internal sling in my pack when it makes sense. But a pain to switch to hand hold when on "greasy slopes" and trails. Maybe a better strap makes it a whole lot easier for weight on the shoulder and hand carry when on the slopes.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Happened to me 1x. Had a great zero on my 308. Thing was dialed in. Early in the morning of the hunt I was standing up on a pile of boulders and hit a slick patch. Rifle was in my right hand. Both Feet came up and landed on my Right side. Didn't even have a chance adjust. Immediately checked my optic and had a small scratch on the windage turret. Wasn't sure how much of it I actually got so I just spent the rest of the day deer hunting but had a black bear tag as well. Saw bear sign all day that day. Closer to the evening I was walking down a finger and heard a bunch of brush breaking in the draw down below me. Looked down and there was that black bear making a break for it .Tutned to the right and sat down and drew a bead on him. Beautiful shot. 250 yds, had the reticle right in the middle of his shoulder blades. Had him dead to rights. Squeezed into the trigger and torched one off. Nothing happened. Saw a puff a dirt about 4' to the right. Thought to myself "no way". Squeezed another one off and same thing. 4' to the right…..

And away he went… never will forget that

My rifle fell over from a not so good of a place to park it. I went to kill worthog that moring. It was a standing shot, and I wasn't quite sure if I moved just a little. The guide said great shot placement. I didn't quite feel that way but went on. Tried to shoot another animal and missed completely at much greater distance, My sons and I were together that day. So I used one of their rifles. We all shot the same, even with me being left handed.

 

[ridgewalker]

I live at over 5,000 feet in Colorado. I exercise at least 3 days a week mainly legs and balance, but full body as well. At 5'7", 152, and working on my 76th year my blood pressure is 115/80 at a 58 pulse. Great shape I think, but hunting at 8,000 feet and up just isn't what it use to be. I hate heavy guns!
I have used an old Remy 78 in 30-06 for years always carrying it in my hands because I hunt dark timber and need to be ready for an instant shot at any second. I've been looking for a Kimber Montana in 30-06 for a couple of years now to reduce the weight I carry. Only the first cold bore shot really counts IMO&E. Almost any light rifle works. Believe me walking miles every day for a week to 10 days your arms and shoulders get exhausted I don't care how great of shape you're in.
I only hope I'm still hunting when I get as old as some of you! LOL!

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I'm 74 and weight 220 lbs. Yes I know I need a diet real bad. My favorite Deer rifle in the Weatherby Ultra light which weights 5 3/4 ponds, then I added Leupold steel rings and bases and the a Leupold VX 3 in 2.5X to 8X . so it became 6 and 3/4 pounds. So I leave my big 7 ounce Invicta watch back at the house. BUT , Then I slowly walk 200 to 300 yards with a Trigger stick, to the blind and sit there all day, with the rifle on a tri pod. So I often wonder the TRUE vale of the super light rifle. If you not really and truly " Mountain Hunting" in a spot and stalk style, is it a really big deal. I'm not so sure anymore. I still love the rifle and caliber, but today, I would not go purchase another an even lighter rifle for $3000,00 just to save another 6 ounces. Since I really like the rifles I have, I just think, I need to get in better shape to use the rifles correctly.